Discussion

Good Israeli food in Brooklyn

Probably I should have restated my entire topic about Miriam's in Park Slope. My friend wants to eat good Israeli food that can be authentic or creative like Miriam. However, I've discovered that Miriam doesn't serve that type of food on the weekends since it's leaning more toward the American brunch food, which I know he doesn't want.

So, what I'm asking all of you is, where would be a good or great Israeli food in Brooklyn (but no falafel/shawarma take-out joints, please)? I don't eat out here that often, so your guidance is greatly appreciated.

Last I looked, Mabat, just off Kings Highway on E.8 or 9th (or 10th? It's on one of the streets between Ocean Pkway and Coney Island Ave... 2 doors in from KHighway), is still there and serving very nice food. I know it's not exactly what you asked for, but that area on Coney Island Ave has some Turkish restaurants (Taci's Beyta, for one) that are reasonably close to Israeli. And there are other places around there as well.

Definitely check out Tamoreen in Bay Ridge. It's not the cheapest place (I find it to be quite expensive, but I'm a student) but if you go and order a bunch of things (concentrate on her specials) then you're bound to be pleased. Lamb lamb lamb. Don't even bother with beef. Lamb.

The label Israeli food is a confusing term, because there is glatt Kosher Israeli style food, and standard kosher Israeli food. Most Israeli food (chicken, lamb, beef is kosher grade, and that is far from the same as what you are referring to as Palestinian food. But most importantly, Israeli food is a hybrid of kosher food from various middle eastern countries, that Sephardic Jews immigrated from into Israel. For example, you have Morrocan Kosher, Yemenite Kosher, Persian Kosher, etc, and then you also have all the other countries that form the diaspora of Jews that make up Israeli's population which includes Ashkenazi Jewish food recipes.

But certainly, Israeli food is not interchangeable with Palestinian food, however similar the descriptions of hummos, falafel, and kebab might seem. Unlike European food which can vary greatly from country to country, food from Middle eastern countries is much more simliar. To say that Israeli food is the same as Palestinian food is to say that Syrian food is the same as Egyptian food.

The Israeli style food I like best is Moroccan Israeli--excellent spicy fish dishes, couscous, eggplant wonderous creations, even the beets are amazing. Soups with dumplings, great rice,--this is very homestyle cooking, and I've yet to have it great in a restaurant as compared to the Moroccan Israeli's that I've known that are great cooks.

However, I have had very good Iraqi Israeli falafel, bright green inside, from Hapisgah in Kew Garden Hills, and their hot sauce is Egyptian style, spicy bright and green---and they've got mushrooms in their Hummos, also, Iraqi style.